Repentance
by LynxOfAlba
Summary: When baby Charlie's life comes under celestial threat, Chloe knows she has to get Lucifer back. But the way to get him back may destroy her too. Post-S04.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Chloe stared at the envelope on her counter, as if enough concentration could will it, and all it implied, out of existence.

She had been walking past the mailbox when she spied it, obviously high quality beige cardboard paper mixed in with the bills and junk mail, just about to be deposited under her name.

She spared a thought for her mailman, Tim, who had the stack snatched from him in a manner more suited to disarming a suspect that retrieving correspondence. She made a note to apologize to him when she saw him.

She knew what this was.

_"It'll all be taken care of" Maze had said when asked about the destiny of Lux. "He put arrangements in place years ago", her voice steady, her tone bored. Chloe had known better though; she had seen the demon's face crumble when she was told of Lucifer's return to Hell. But weakness is an unforgivable and often fatal sin in Hell, and so the façade of indifference was added like a second layer to the one covering her demon face. _

A law firm had instructions to divide up Lucifer's assets on his command or should he fail to check in with them before a certain period of time. The letter had arrived this morning, one month and 3 days after she had seen him for the last time.

She peered at the envelope, currently face-down revealing the return address:

_C. Hitchens and associates_

_7760 Paseo del Rey_

_Los Angeles_

Her mouth quirked slightly. "The King's Path" in the City of Angels, a fitting locale for the Devil's Advocate.

She knew she was being ridiculous. Lucifer's was gone, refusing to engage with the distribution of his vast estate wasn't going to change that. Lucifer himself had treated his wealth as barely a second thought, there was no reason for her to do any differently.

She took a deep breath. _Get your act together, it's just a letter, open it_ she thought angrily.

She reached for the envelope, her hand shaking violently when her mind suddenly flashed to a different place, to her hand extended, shaking in fear and uncertainty.

_No._

She snatched her hand back as if it had been scalded, blinking back tears as she furiously tried to think about something, anything, other than that terrible night.

She was saved by the buzzing of her phone. A text from Ella telling her lab results were back from the victim in her case, her first since Lucifer had left. She had taken some personal time but eventually decided to return, needing the distraction of work, even if the idea of working cases without her partner was almost physically painful.

She picked up the envelope, walking with purpose to the end table next to her sofa, shoving it in a drawer that she shut with rather more force than necessary.

* * *

Chloe stepped into the precinct pit and headed towards her desk. Several co-workers glanced her way in a way they probably thought was discreet. No one had asked her about Lucifer, yet. A month's absence was long, but not unheard of for the extravagantly weird club owner. But Chloe's leave of absence followed by her return without Lucifer and with deep grooves under her eyes from lack of sleep had prompted whispers.

Chloe ignored it. It's wasn't like she hadn't gotten used to gossip and stares, both as a rookie with an acting past and during the whole Malcolm fiasco.

She dropped her jacket and bag at her desk and headed straight for Ella's lab. The young technician smiled gently in greeting. She was one of the few Chloe had told Lucifer had left. She couldn't share the truth, of course, so she simply opted to say that Lucifer had been forced to "return to the family business". When Chloe had broken down in response to the question of when Lucifer would return, the normally effervescent tech had held her quietly, murmuring in Spanish into the detective's hair.

As grateful as Chloe was for Ella's support and comfort, she avoided the topic of Lucifer whenever possible. Ella was unshakably convinced that Lucifer would come back. "Dude, there's no way he'll stay away from you for long, you'll see" she had said on one occasion. Her optimism was endearing, but misplaced.

No, Chloe knew better. If there was anything Lucifer was good at, it was subjecting himself to suffering, and Chloe knew that to protect those he cared for, he would condemn himself to Hell. The same man who would steal her daughter's sandwiches and take drugs at a crime scene and find a way to turn even the most far-fetched cases into something about himself was also a man who had placed his body, his suddenly mortal body, between her and danger countless times.

And he was doing it again, putting his body between her and a host of demons, and so in Hell he would stay until the danger of Hell passed. And considering the longevity of Hell…

Chloe took another breath. Enough of that. Work. Just keep working and eventually the perpetual ache in her heart would pass. Somehow.

"What do we have Ella?" Chloe asked, glancing down at the toxicology report.

"Rohypnol, and a whole lotta booze." Ella said. "Poor girl was drunk and then roofied, making the drug more powerful. Death from respiratory depression. It looks like the creep never got around to doing the deed though. Torn clothes but no foreign DNA on her, thankfully. He did leave some handy fingerprints for us though. Combined with the CCTV footage of them leaving the club together, it's looking very grim for Mr. Slimy Asshole."

Chloe nodded grimly. In spite of her own track record of cases, a veritable menagerie of the weird, convoluted and crafty, most criminals were actually quite stupid. A small blessing for the LAPD.

Ugh, blessing. If the past several months had taught Chloe anything, is that her thoughts were absolutely _rife_ with religious language. Thank God, Jesus Christ, dammit, Hell, even bless you, it felt like the English language was now a mine-field of unwelcome reminders. She had started a swear jar to rid herself of them all the and at the current rate would be able to pay for Trixie's first semester at college in record time.

"…don't realize that drugs can potentiate each other. It's really incredible that people use these things and don't even bother to learn the first thing...Chloe? Chloe? Hey, Earth to Chloe?"

Chloe jumped slightly, blushing. "I'm so sorry Ella, I got distracted, what was that again?". She really, _really_ needed to get back to sleeping normally, the current situation was affecting her concentration in a bad way.

"I _said_ that it's just crazy that these creeps don't even realize how the drugs they use can combine in really bad ways and get them in even more trouble" Ella said.

"I'm guessing forward planning is not really this guy's forte" Chloe said.

"True, but still just 2 minutes on Google would…woah what the Hell?!"

Ella's eyes had gone wide at something over Chloe's shoulder, in the main area of the precinct. Chloe whirled around to check what had surprised the tech and then everything stopped.

He was standing near her desk. Dressed more casually than normal, in fitted jeans and a matching dark blue button-down, curly hair untamed by product, he was turned slightly away from her, and completely unmistakable.

Chloe wondered distantly at what point not breathing would start to become a problem. She drank in the sight of his lean form, a sight she had been certain was lost to her forever. Her legs moved without her conscious thought, and she found herself standing just behind him.

"Lucifer" she breathed with barely a thread of a voice.

He turned to face her and she felt her blood turn to ice in her veins.

His face was…wrong. In appearance, he was the same; the same olive skin, the same roman nose and carved jawline. But though his eyes were the exact same shade of dark brown, they looked at her with an expression so alien that she had to actively force herself to not stumble backwards in fear.

She had seen those eyes sparking with mischief, alight with rage, tight with feigned indifference that poorly concealed hurt, too bright with barely contained tears. And in some of her most cherished memories she had seen his eyes soft and vulnerable, staring at her as if to say what he could not bring himself to say with words, what they had both waited far too long to say.

The person who now looked out of "Lucifer's" eyes had none of his warmth and passion. His gaze was cold, observing her with a sort of clinical detachment that made Chloe feel like an insect rather than a person.

"Hello, you must be Chloe Decker" said the not-Lucifer and it was so _wrong_. Chloe's stomach twisted and she clenched her teeth to stop herself from crying out.

"Who…who are you?" Chloe managed.

"Oh, excuse me. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Michael."

...

...

* * *

Notes:

Thank you to Wynele for letting me borrow mailman Tim for this chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Michael?" Chloe echoed dumbly. "So you're Lucifer's…"

"Twin brother" Michael completed inclining his head with a slight smile.

The more Chloe saw the worse it got. For all Lucifer's strangeness, his manner had always had a natural grace. She had never encountered anyone more at ease with other people, more effortlessly able to navigate social interaction.

By contrast Michael seemed utterly stilted and artificial, as if he had learned human gestures from a book. One with no pictures.

Before Chloe could ask what the hell was going on Ella came bounding in, crowing enthusiastically.

"Dude! I knew you'd be back! It's so great to see you again!" she gushed.

Her arms were rising in the unmistakable launch position for an Ella tackle-hug when Michael turned his frosty gaze on her and Ella skidded to a halt as if someone had pulled on an emergency break.

"Uh sorry man I just was happy to see you again is all…" Ella stammered, her eyes darting between the taller man and Chloe's funerary face.

Michael regarded her, his eyes dipping downwards for an instant. _Is he checking her out?_ Chloe wondered. After all they _were_ twins. But no, his eyes had gone to the small crucifix now back around Ella's neck.

His face took on what could generously be described as a benevolent look, or at least the look a nobleman might give to a loyal but stupid dog.

"It's alright child, fear not. You will be confusing me for my rather inferior brother"

Chloe bristled and Ella blinked, the combination of the Lucifer duplicate, the odd wording and the clear dickishness rendering her temporarily mute.

"Can I help you with anything? Lucifer isn't here" Chloe said politely, drawing on her cop persona to help mask her growing distaste. Lucifer's brother seemed like a bit of an asshole.

"I'm well aware. It seems he has actually made the right choice for once in his life and gone back where he belongs. I eagerly await his next good decision in 13.8 billion years" Michael said with a smirk, clearly amused by his own little joke.

_Huge asshole _corrected Chloe silently, her face carefully blank.

"No, I am in fact looking my brother Amenadiel. It appears he has been quite…busy during his time on the Earthly plane and I would like to have a little chat with him about it."

Chloe was certain that Michael was giving her a look intended to seem disarming, but once again he hurtled past normal into the uncanny valley, as if every muscle in his face was being managed independently of every other.

Chloe resisted the urge to take a tiny step backwards. "Oh well, he doesn't really hang around here much, I'm not sure where he would be" she lied easily. She didn't know what Michael wanted, but the tiniest dip into the swamp of celestial and demonic intrigue had already taught her to be more than a little cautious. She wasn't about to direct Michael to Amenadiel without warning the latter first.

"That's a pity." Said Michael smoothly "If you do see my dear older brother, do let him know I'm looking for him". With that, Michael turned and stalked smoothly up the stairs out of the precinct, leaving behind him a train of double takes, cut-off greetings and confused looks from Chloe's co-workers.

"That. Was._ Wild!_" Ella said. "Like, Lucifer has a twin. What the Hell! And I thought Lucifer was a bit weird y'know but obviously it's genetic!"

Chloe nodded absently, her mind only just catching up to the events of the past few minutes. Try as she might, as ridiculous and fleeting as her hope had been, she couldn't help the feeling of deep disappointment that Lucifer had not returned after all. Watching that stranger speak out of Lucifer's mouth had been like a cruel satire, like the Universe was mocking her deepest desires.

It was now easier to understand why Lucifer spent all his time blaming his father for everything around him. At times like this, it was easy to imagine a capricious and cruel god amusing himself by jerking his creatures this way and that like toy puppets.

"Sorry Ella, I have to go, talk later" Chloe said, hooking her jacket and purse off her chair and hurrying up the stairs. She felt bad for leaving her friend in the midst of this, but something told her it was imperative that she find Amenadiel before Michael did.

At the top of the stairs Chloe quickly stepped to one side and took out her phone. She decided to text Linda to be safe.

_"Hey, I need to talk to A, but not at home. It's important"_

Chloe slipped the phone in her purse and continued to her car, thinking rapidly. Linda's was out of the question, with Charlie there. Her own home was also off limits. She had no idea of Michael's plans, but Lucifer had always had a rock solid conviction of the ill intent of his celestial family. Now that she knew his "metaphors" were all too real, she would not expose Trixie to the possibility that Lucifer had been equally accurate about his family's peculiar sense of justice.

The Penthouse? Chloe's stomach churned at the thought. She hadn't been back there since that last night…

No, definitely not. But then where?

Chloe was taken out of her musing by the buzzing of her phone. It was Linda.

_"Tribe night bar in one hour"_

Though the vast majority of Tribe nights with the girls had happened at Lux, Chloe instantly knew where she meant. It had been a few years, hopefully no one recognized her as one of the group of women who utterly trashed the place on their first incursion there.

* * *

Like most clubs, Club Aloha only managed to look good underneath the cloak of night and the haze of alcohol. At 11 am on a Tuesday the fake flower chains and glued together bamboo tables and chairs took a turn away from the exotic and towards the pathetic. Chloe crinkled her nose at the smell of old alcohol and abrasive cleaning liquid.

Amenadiel was sitting on one of the high stools, nursing an aggressively pink drink with a little paper umbrella in it. Lucifer would not have approved.

He smiled in greeting as Chloe climbed onto the seat next to his. Amenadiel was in some ways even more of an enigma than his younger brother. Chloe didn't really know the details of their relationship, but she was aware that it had improved over their time together on Earth. And now it seemed as if Amenadiel had, like his brother before him, chosen Earth as his home.

"What seems to be the problem Chloe?" Amenadiel asked. They hadn't really spoken much in the month since Lucifer left. She didn't doubt that he missed his brother, but baby Charlie, now just over a month old, had kept him and Linda very busy. Whatever effect being half angel had, it didn't stop dirty diapers or sleepless nights.

"Your brother is looking for you" Chloe said. She saw Amenadiel's eyes widen in surprise and rushed to explain "No, not…not Lucifer" Chloe swallowed the bitter lump in her throat. "It's Michael".

The transformation in Amenadiel was instantaneous. His face hardened to a mask, his posture straightened. He seemed to suddenly occupy impossibly more space, and the very air around them seemed to stop. Gone was the gentle giant who tolerated the excesses and teasing of his younger brother. Chloe didn't need to see his wings to realize she was now looking at a powerful angel of God, a warrior.

"Oh really? And what did Michael want?" Amenadiel asked coolly, the name coming off his tongue with a jagged edge to it.

"Um, I'm not sure. He said something about you having been very busy here on Earth and talking to you about that?" Chloe offered weakly.

Amenadiel's expression darkened further "I see. Thank you for informing me of this. I will discuss this matter with Michael myself. In the meantime, may I ask that you continue at work or at your home?"

The implication was clear. Stay at _her_ home or work, so stay away from him, Linda or Charlie. Cop instincts apparently worked for angels as well as for humans; Michael was bad news and Amenadiel did not want him near his family.

"Of course, just please let me know how it goes" Chloe said. Amenadiel nodded and left, the rest of his drink untouched.

Chloe returned to the precinct without any further celestial intervention, thankfully. She dropped heavily into her chair. Ordinarily, the seemingly unending pile of paperwork at her desk was an annoyance, but today she decided to tackle it with enthusiasm. After the morning she'd had, there was something almost comforting about the drudgery of bureaucracy.

Two hours, one vending machine sandwich and two near-poisonous office coffees later, Chloe was ready for a break. She decided to see how Ella was doing. Truth be told, she felt a little guilty. Lucifer had also been Ella's friend, and in the midst of her own grief, Chloe had not really reached out to check on the young tech to see how Lucifer's absence was affecting her. She resolved to change this once this Michael business was behind them.

Chloe found Ella doing something indecipherable with a scrap of cloth and some small trays of liquids. She took the cloth with a pair of tweezers and transferred it from one tray to a seemingly identical tray, stared at it intensely, then hummed to herself and made a note on a piece of paper.

"So…" Chloe ventured gamely, to get the tech's attention.

Ella glanced up. "Oh, hey Chloe, what's up?" she said, smoothly transferring the piece of cloth onto some absorbent paper.

"Uh, nothing much, I was just…" Chloe waved her hands as if this could conjure up some believable work related reason she was here.

But Ella's face was now a perfect portrait of concern "Hey, are you OK? Of course you're not OK I'm sorry that's such a stupid question. Do you want to talk about it? But you don't have to though! You can just hang out if you want. Or talk, but like about whatever. Could be anything, or not, I mean it's up to you seriously."

"Ella!" Chloe cried, in an attempt to stem the verbal onslaught. "It's fine, I was just taking a break from paperwork, I swear!"

Ella blinked rapidly. "Are you sure? Because it's totally normal if you're not OK after Lucifer's brother showing up like that. It was totally weird, and he also seemed like a bit of a _pendejo_ you know?"

Chloe couldn't deny that she was still a little shaken by the appearance of Michael, a stranger wearing Lucifer's face. The surge of hope followed by the crushing weight of disappointment had taken a lot out of her. Lucifer's twin also had her worried. She didn't know what he wanted, but if even half of what Lucifer had said about his family was true, it was unlikely to be good. And Lucifer never lied.

"It's fine Ella, seriously. Yeah meeting Michael wasn't fun, but it's OK. Lucifer isn't here and I don't like that but I accept it" _Liar_ sneered her mind. It was fine, _it was_. Or it would be. She just had to get home and find the biggest wine glass she owned and make sure it was full for the evening.

She started walking backwards, retreating from Ella's skeptical stare. She reached behind her, feeling for the door. She missed badly, causing a pile of paper and boxes to tumble to the floor.

_Smooth Decker, well done_, Chloe thought. Out loud she said "I'm so sorry Ella! Let me pick all this up", kneeling to sort through the fallen materials.

Mostly it was stacks of forms and the odd research paper. She reached for one light blue rectangular box that had completely flipped over, dislodging its lid. As she lifted the box its contents spilled out.

Chloe gasped. It was a dress, and it was beautiful. Sleeveless in red taffeta, it had an empire waist that quickly expanded outward into soft elegant pleats. It was smooth and cool to the touch.

"Oh Ella wow, this is an amazing dress, where did you get it? It must look incredible on you, what's the occasion?" Chloe asked, looking up.

If she had not been looking directly at her, she would have missed the stricken look that flashed across Ella's face for barely a second. This was immediately replaced by a wide-eyed panicked expression.

"Uh, it's nothing, it's just a dress. Just a dress that's here because, ha, I forgot to take it somewhere else and so it's here ehh"

Chloe's eyes wandered back to the dress, wondering what it could be about it that would make such an impression on the tech. She spied a small white piece of cardboard paper peeking out from where the dress was folded into the box. She picked it up and unfolded it and then her world fell from under her.

_"Dear Chloe_

_I hope you will not begrudge me my futile efforts to improve upon your perfection._

_ Yours, always,_

_ Lucifer"_

Pain twisted through her stomach, climbed up her to her heart and squeezed. She looked up at Ella, who had frozen as if caught in the act of something illicit.

"What…what is this?" she asked, her voice cracking. Deep down she knew though, she just needed it confirmed.

"It was for your first date with Lucifer" Ella said very quietly. "He was excited and he had all these plans and the dress and he wanted to show me. But then you had to put it off because of the case and he never came back for it."

Their date. Their first date that she had proposed. Not so they could continue what they had started but in order to catch him unaware to poison him. To kill him. Their first date that she delayed not for the case, not really, but because she lost her nerve. Their first date that they actually had where she very nearly did the unthinkable.

All the while Lucifer had been entirely sincere. And being Lucifer of course he had gone completely over the top and bought her an expensive dress and planned goodness knows what extravagant date. Despite his initial disbelief she had convinced him she was OK, that _they_ were OK. He had trusted her, because he always trusted her. And she had repaid his trust with betrayal and rejection.

Chloe looked down at the note and saw that it was now wet, the ink running slightly in places. When had she started crying? She was gasping for air but felt like nothing was coming in. Her hands fell on the dress in her lap, her hands like claws gripping the note.

Ella, wonderful Ella, somehow seemed to sense what Chloe needed. "I'm going to go check something out in the evidence store. Take all the time you need. If you want anything at all or to talk or whatever, just say the word. You can take the dress if you want, it is yours". And with that Ella left quietly, closing the blinds and turning off the lights to the room so it would appear empty.

Chloe allowed the last vestiges of her composure to slip as she fell to one side wracked by silent sobs, her body curled around the dress, her mind awash with regret and sadness.

She didn't know how long she stayed there, but eventually she felt all cried out. Crying was supposed to make you feel better, but Chloe just felt hollow. She folded the dress reverently, putting it back in its box along with the note. After tidying the rest of Ella's things, she washed her face as best she could in the lab sink. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but there was nothing for that now.

She quietly slipped out of the lab, the box under one arm. Leaving it at her desk she made a beeline for the lieutenant's office. She explained she wasn't feeling well, not exactly a lie, and went home early. Thankfully Dan had Trixie today. She didn't think she would have been able to fool her little monkey into thinking she was OK, and the precocious little girl was already worried enough about her mother as it was.

Once home she changed into pajamas and stuffed the box with the dress into the deepest part of her closet. Even though it was barely early afternoon, she was utterly exhausted. She fell into bed and was asleep within minutes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Chloe was startled out of her sleep by her phone, which seemed to be on a mission to see if it could completely wreck her before being tossed out the nearest window.

Chloe blearily sorted through her discarded clothes for her pants, retrieving the trilling device. The screen announced the caller: Linda.

Chloe answered "Hi Linda, what's up?"

"Chloe!" Linda said, her voice too high "It's Amenadiel. I don't know what's happened but he's hurt and I'm not sure what to do. He won't go to a hospital."

Chloe sat up, all traces of sleep leaving her completely. "Where are you?" she said.

There was a long pause. "We're…we're at the penthouse. Amenadiel was here when he called me and I didn't want to move him. I'm sorry Chloe, I know it's not easy for you, but there's no one else I can ask"

Chloe's stomach churned. She hadn't been back to the Penthouse since Lucifer flew away from it and her. She knew going back would be painful, but she couldn't leave her friend alone. Linda was the only other human who was a celestial insider. She had been completely invaluable this past month, the only person with whom Chloe could be completely open about her grief and regret without worrying about decorating the truth or sounding like a crazy person. She couldn't leave her friend in her time of need.

"I'm on my way" she said. She hung up and stared at the phone. 7pm, she had only slept around 3 hours. She got dressed and headed out the door.

* * *

She drove to Lux. Rounding the building on her way to the parking garage she saw the queue starting at the door. The club seemed to be getting on fine without its devilish host, but it had barely been a month and it wouldn't be the first time Lucifer disappeared for a time. Eventually someone would have to do something about the club. Chloe remembered the lawyer's letter awaiting her at home and mused that the "someone" might end up being her.

She rode the elevator to the club floor. The crowd at this time was still fairly light, especially as the early evening star, the magnetic pianist who enthralled patrons with his voice and the promise of temptations sated, had not made an appearance of late.

She barely paid them any mind, crossing quickly on the top level to the final lift. The ride up seemed to take forever, her stomach dropping as the elevator lifted. She closed her eyes against the rush of emotions. There wasn't time for that now, her friends needed her to be the strong detective, not the heartbroken girl.

She stepped out of the elevator. Initially all seemed as she had left it, but as she turned to face the living room area, the picture changed. One large bay window was shattered, in a million pieces on the floor. One of his expensive Italian leather sofas had been torn in half, stuffing and splinters mixing with the glass on the floor. The other sofa had been moved to one side, and from here an ashen faced Linda stood to greet Chloe.

Amenadiel lay on the sofa. As Chloe approached, she saw that his breathing was laboured, a fine sheen of sweat on his face.

"What happened?" Chloe asked, though she was certain she already knew the answer.

"Michael happened" Amenadiel said.

Seriously, did no one in Lucifer's family have a remotely normal relationship to anyone else? Chloe had gleaned some information about Lucifer's family by re-examining old statements of his and prodding Linda as far as she would go professionally and Maze as far as she would tolerate. The picture that had been revealed was that of a family that would make your average mafia seem like the Brady Bunch by comparison.

"But why?" Chloe asked

Amenadiel didn't answer, but in his eyes Chloe saw something she had never witnessed from the older angel; fear.

"It's Charlie" Linda said shakily, seating herself on the floor by the sofa. "He wants Charlie".

"Why does he want Charlie?" asked Chloe "Does he want to take him back to Heaven?". Chloe knew Amenadiel had considered it, maybe Michael wanted the same, to take the tiny half-celestial to Heaven with him.

Amenadiel huffed "No, unfortunately my brother's intentions are far less virtuous". Chloe looked at him steadily. She was a cop, she was used to settling into the silence, letting someone else rush to fill it with information.

Amenadiel closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He opened them, seeming to come to a decision. He heaved himself upright, Linda's arm under his shoulder for support.

"Chloe, you humans were my father's special creation" Amenadiel said "He was always very clear about us not interfering with you. Lucifer got the worst of his ire when this was disobeyed, and the rule was softened over the millennia, but it's still fairly strict. And the one thing we were absolutely prohibited from doing…"

Amenadiel took a deep breath, casting a sideways glance at Linda, still firmly pressed to his side, "…was having children with them. The prohibition on the creation of Nephilim, half human half angel, was so strong that that references to them made it into your Bible, which was written many thousands of years later. In fact, the birth of a Nephilim _should_ have been impossible, father modified us to make us incompatible with you. But it seems that while I was here on Earth in a weakened state, I became more human than I knew, which as you know led to Charlie".

"Michael and Lucifer look alike, but have always been as different as two people could be. Where Lucifer was irresponsible and questioned everything, Michael was always obedient and rigid. For him Charlie, _my son_, is an abomination. A being with no place in Heaven or on Earth. He doesn't want to take him; he wants to eliminate him"

Linda released a choked sob at his side and then it was Amenadiel curling his arm around the doctor, comforting her as she shook uncontrollably.

Chloe felt a pang of sympathy for her friend. She knew what it was to have her child's life threatened, and she had been dealing with a human opponent, not a superhuman being with nearly god like powers.

"I came here because I knew it was inevitable that Michael would find me. Angels can detect each other's souls. It's not exact, but he can get an approximate idea of my location. He wanted me to hand over Charlie. I refused and we fought. But Michael bested me. It could have been much worse, but he has decided to give me a chance to "do the right thing"" Amenadiel spat.

"Where is Charlie now?" Chloe asked.

"Maze is with him" Linda said between sniffles. "It was her idea. You can't track the soul of someone who doesn't have one" she said, managing a tiny smile.

Chloe returned the smile. It was a good idea, Maze was a fierce warrior, and would be exceptionally dangerous to anyone foolish enough to try to harm her "smallest human". Still, if Michael was stronger than Amenadiel, there was little chance that Maze could resist him forever.

"So, what can we do? Can you ask any of your other brothers or sisters to help?" Chloe asked.

Amenadiel shook his head "No, too risky. I can't be sure that Michael's visit isn't with the approval of the Silver City".

"You think _your father_ could be behind this?" Chloe asked in disbelief.

Amenadiel shifted uncomfortably "I don't know, I hope not, but it's possible. Angel justice lacks the subtlety that your human societies favor".

Chloe had a hard time processing this. It was clear from speaking to Lucifer that God wasn't exactly the all-loving benevolent creator he was sold as, but to order the execution of his infant grandchild? Chloe's mind reeled at the possibility that the Universe was created and ruled by an all-powerful psychopath.

"And if he is behind this, are you going to resist that?" Chloe asked.

Amenadiel gave her a stony stare "I will not allow anyone to harm my son. _Anyone_"

Chloe marveled at the transformation Amenadiel had undergone. From the obedient son of God trying to get his errant little brother in line into a father willing to stand up to God himself to defend his chosen family.

"OK, so what do we do?" Chloe asked.

"I…I'm not sure" Amenadiel admitted, "Any one of my brothers and sisters could side with Michael".

The thought came to her suddenly and the words spilled out on instinct.

"Not all of them."

"What was that?" said Amenadiel.

"Not all the of them could side with Michael" Chloe said, more firmly "Lucifer won't."

"Lucifer is in Hell, Chloe" said Amenadiel gently.

"Then bring him back!" Chloe yelled. "You said yourself that you can't handle Michael alone. Lucifer only left to protect us, but now we need him. I need him"

Chloe hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, but it was still true. She had spent a month trying to convince herself that it was all for the best, that there was nothing they could do, that she'd get over it, that the pain would lessen. But the pain just got sharper and deeper as time passed. Going through her days without his sharp wit, his presence at her back, and even his ridiculous and inappropriate antics felt more wrong every day

Lucifer didn't deserve Hell. He had gone back to take up the throne of a kingdom he despised in order to protect her, to protect all of them. He had been betrayed and pushed away at points by almost everyone, and yet he never hesitated to sacrifice himself for them.

The supposed "Prince of Darkness" loved more fiercely and loyally than anyone she had ever known. She had once been willing to believe all the lies of history over her very eyes, had twisted the knife by refusing to accept him and pushing him to deny half of himself. And when things got better she had been too cowardly to apologize, to recognize how wrong she had been. In the face of all of this he had forgiven her, loved her even. To have him be the one condemned was the purest form of injustice.

And it was all for nothing if they were safe from the threats from Hell but vulnerable to threats from Heaven.

"If you bring him back he can help you protect Charlie. Two angels are better than one, surely?" Chloe reasoned.

Amenadiel sighed "Chloe, I know you miss Lucifer, we all do. And it's true that he would be of great help with Michael. He is Michael's twin, and if there is anyone in the Universe short of my father that could handle him, it's Lucifer. If he were on this plane, I would not hesitate to ask for his help. Unfortunately, it's not that simple."

"Like I said before, angels can detect one another. If I leave this plane for Hell, Michael will know it at once. And Hell is vast. Though time goes much more slowly there, if I am at all delayed in finding Lucifer Michael might take the opportunity to strike. He doesn't know where Charlie is, but he may choose to send his message in other ways." his arm tightening ever so slightly around Linda.

"What about Maze? She's a demon, she knows Hell." Chloe said.

"Maze has no soul of her own, she can only get to Hell if I take her. Only winged celestials can travel unaccompanied between the planes. Well, humans can too, but that typically only happens once" Amenadiel added.

"Typically?" Chloe questioned.

Amenadiel shifted uncomfortably "Well yes, usually humans either go to the Silver City or to Hell at the end of their lives. Sometimes though, things can happen. If a human is very close to death, their soul can cross over but they can come back, or they can be brought back." Amenadiel seemed to be attempting to disappear into the sofa as he explained this for some reason.

"So who decides where a human soul goes?" Chloe asked "Is it God?"

"You decide yourselves. Mostly the good go to the Silver City and the bad to Hell, but it also depends on guilt" Amenadiel explained "You see, humans mistakenly believe that my father's forgiveness is all they need to go to heaven, when in reality it is human's own knowledge of their own acts, their own guilt, that condemns them to Hell."

"So if you feel guilty, you'll go to Hell?" Chloe asked distantly.

"Yes, that's right. But we can't exactly rely on that as a method can we? First we'd have to find a guilty person near death, I cannot kill humans. Then there's the matter of revealing the reality of Heaven and Hell to them, and then we'd have to convince them to help us, which considering they're a Hell-bound soul isn't going to be easy and anyway…"

"I'll go"

Amenadiel blinked "Sorry, what?"

"I'll go to Hell. I'll get Lucifer back, if you help me" Chloe said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Chloe stood firm, keeping her gaze steady despite Amenadiel and Linda looking at her with twin expressions that clearly communicated "Oh no, she's actually lost it".

"Chloe Hell is not the place for you. I can't think of many people more clearly marked for the Silver City. And even if you weren't, did you miss the part of the explanation where I said humans only go when they die?" Amenadiel said.

"Yes, but you also said that they can come back, or that an angel can bring them back. If I go and convince Lucifer to come back, he can bring me back with him" Chloe said.

"Hell is for the guilty Chloe, not for someone like you. If you die, you will go to the Silver City and none of my other siblings will bring you back"

"No, what you said is that people go to Hell if they feel guilty" Chloe insisted.

"Well yes, but what could someone like you possibly feel that guilty about?"

Chloe opened her mouth to reply but found that she couldn't push the words out._ I nearly helped murder your brother and to this day I don't know if I would have stopped if the music hadn't surprised me. I walked away from him rather than accept who he was. Even after he came back I kept denying part of his identity and pressuring him to fit my idea of good, even though I knew it hurt him. And even once I realized I was wrong, I was too cowardly to apologize to him properly, to own that I'd hurt him and make it right._

Chloe looked down, her face scarlet, her eyes burning with fresh tears. She couldn't say it. Amenadiel and Lucifer had their issues sure, but they were still brothers. She couldn't look Amenadiel in the eye and explain that she wasn't the "good detective" he thought she was, instead of the clear and present danger to his brother she actually was.

She had felt the guilt before Lucifer left. Truth be told, it had started the instant she had first considered father Kinley's proposal of sending Lucifer back to Hell, and it had gotten worse every successive time she looked into his eyes and saw his hurt at her rejection. At first it was one strata in the mountain of fear, confusion and hurt she was sorting through. Afterwards, she did the one thing she was truly excellent at, she buried the feeling and denied it was there. And it almost worked too.

But then he left, after they had finally said what they should have said so much sooner; that what was between them was love. And losing him an instant after learning that she could have had him tore away every layer of self-denial and false justification she had, revealing her guilt for the gaping open wound that it was.

She found her voice "It doesn't matter. What matters is getting Lucifer back, and I can do that".

"And how do you propose to die, Chloe? How will you bring your body to the threshold between the planes without going over?" Amenadiel asked.

"I don't know" Chloe admitted "You know more about this, how has it worked before?"

Amenadiel was back to looking like he was sitting on pointy side of an acorn. Chloe wondered what that was all about. Honestly, Trixie had a better poker face.

"Well, it could work with someone in a coma or…" Amenadiel looked pleadingly at Linda.

"If you stopped someone's heart" the doctor piped up, unexpectedly. "You could stop their heart with a defibrillator. It would have to be fast because after a few minutes the brain starts dying, but it would work for that time".

Chloe stared. That was an awfully specific description, and the conviction with which the doctor had spoken suggested it was not theoretical. Chloe really wanted to ask about that but frankly they lacked the time.

"Would a few minutes be long enough? You said something about time going more slowly in Hell?" Chloe said.

"It does go more slowly but Hell is enormous and dangerous and you cannot fly. We would have to bring you back fairly quickly so unless I stop time…" Amenadiel eyes widened almost comically and he looked like he wanted to grab his words and stuff them back in his mouth.

"You can _stop time_?" Chloe definitely didn't croak

"Err, yes, advantages of being the oldest, I existed before time was, strictly speaking, a thing" Amenadiel said, as if he wasn't revealing the ability to break physics.

Chloe wondered how many celestial revelations a single human could take before their brain melted.

"OK, so if you stop my heart and then stop time, would that be enough time?"

"It might be, but Chloe this is too much" Amenadiel protested. He looked over to Linda for support. The doctor looked stricken. She opened and closed her mouth several times. Her lip started quivering and tears gathered and fell down her cheeks.

Chloe didn't need her to speak. She was a mother too. If it was Trixie's life in danger, she would grab any chance of protecting her with both hands, no matter what it was. Chloe knew that Linda would think this was an insane and foolhardy plan, but she also was fearful for Charlie's life and could not relinquish any chance to save him.

Chloe knelt in front of her, grabbing both her hands. "It's OK Linda, this is my choice. My job is to protect people and that sometimes involves risking my life. Sure, this is a little different, but I can't think of a better reason to do it than to keep little Charlie safe".

Linda swallowed thickly and nodded, still unable to speak.

Chloe stood. "Right, I know there's a defibrillator behind the bar downstairs, would that work?".

"I suppose so" said Amenadiel. He was clearly unhappy, but had stopped arguing, which was progress.

"OK, be right back" Chloe said, and headed for the elevator.

The club level was filling up, but thankfully was a few hours away from full capacity. The bartender was distracted by some complicated cocktail order so Chloe ducked behind the bar and retrieved the bright orange plastic briefcase the defibrillator was housed in. She rushed back up the stairs and to the elevator.

Back in the penthouse she crossed the room to the sofa. Amenadiel had transferred himself to an armchair, while Linda was perched at the base of the sofa.

"OK, so how do we do this?" Chloe said. She wanted to do this right away, before her brain caught up with the idea and completely shut down.

"You'll have to open your shirt and it's probably better that you lay down. I'll connect the pads to interrupt your heartbeat" Linda said in a monotone suggesting she was trying to disassociate from what was about to happen.

Chloe nodded, and sat on the sofa, starting on her buttons. This was fine. She'd go, get Lucifer and come straight back. Piece of cake.

"Listen Chloe, this is important" urged Amenadiel "Hell isn't like you'll have read in books. It will try to trap you inside your own guilt. No matter what, you have to remember that it's not real. The doors in Hell aren't locked, you can walk through them, but that will only work if you do not surrender to the story Hell is telling you. You are going with more understanding than most humans and you yourself are…special, so you have a chance, but don't underestimate Hell. Once you are out of the door seek out the high spire in the middle, it's where Lucifer is most likely to be"

"Once I feel your soul mostly cross over, I will stop time for as long as I am able. I am injured, and stopping time takes an enormous amount of energy, but hopefully it will buy you the time you need".

Chloe nodded and lay down, opening her shirt. Amenadiel looked away in a way that would have been cute if circumstances had been less dire.

Linda approached her, white knuckling the paddles on the defibrillator. She delicately placed one on her chest and the other on her side. And then stopped, unable to continue, tears once again falling freely.

Chloe looked at her. It wasn't fair to demand this of the doctor. She was a therapist now, but she had made the same promise to do no harm all doctors do. She slid her hands over Linda's, encouraging her to release her grip, which she did.

Chloe held on to the paddles, looking straight up into the soft lighting of the penthouse. She hoped this would not be the last she would see of Earth. She closed her eyes.

The last thing she saw in her mind's eye before pressing the switches was Trixie. Then everything was darkness.

Chloe opened her eyes on the chocolate colored sofa. Damn, it hadn't worked. She sat up.

She was still in the penthouse. Amenadiel and Linda were gone, so she supposed she had been unconscious for some time. Strangely, she felt fine, much better than someone who had just had 1000 volts zapped through them had any right to feel.

She got up and headed for the elevator. She would check the club level for her friends first before leaving. She was practically at the door when she heard a sound behind her. She turned and felt as if her heart had stopped a second time.

Lucifer. He was here. _He was here_. She drank him in. He looked as if no time had passed at all. Impeccable suit, 2-day stubble, perfectly tamed hair. He was rushing about fussing with a low table in the middle of the room. It looked familiar somehow.

Suddenly he looked up and his face split into an artless smile "Detective! You look…. beautiful" he said softly.

She looked down at herself in growing horror. Her clothes from today were gone. Replacing them were a pair of loose trousers and a long sleeved top. She knew these clothes She had thrown them away months ago, unable to look at them without remembering the night she most wanted to forget.

The night that was happening right now.

She wanted to scream, wanted to run away, but felt like a prisoner behind her own eyes as she found herself walking further into the room, sitting down across from Lucifer, letting him serve her grilled cheese and wine. She was crying now; she could feel it. But this world's Lucifer didn't notice, still looking at her with soft trusting eyes as he declared himself open for questions, always honest with her.

"Lucifer, I need to say…" Chloe barely managed, but he had suddenly remembered the music and shot up and away to turn it on.

She looked down and there it was. The vial of poison. She watched helplessly as her own shaking hands unscrewed the top and started tipping it towards the wine glass.

But this time the music never came and she felt the bile rise in her throat as she tipped the contents of the vial in and hid it just in time for Lucifer to return.

"On second thought, maybe music is too much of a distraction and we could just talk instead" said Lucifer brightly.

He sat down and picked up both wine glasses, handing hers over. He raised his own glass in a toast, his eyes still unbearably soft.

"To new beginnings…Chloe"

Her entire body was shaking now and her breath was coming out in gasps, but her hand raised in a toast and Lucifer smiled gently as they clinked glasses and he swallowed his wine down.

"As I said before, I want to be totally honest with you. I know in the past I've slid by in allowing you believe it was all metaphors, but that's over Chloe. The least you deserve is to know all of me" said Lucifer.

Chloe wanted to yell, wanted to make it all stop, but she could only watch as Lucifer blinked slowly at his glass.

"Gosh, that packs a punch doesn't it? Perhaps it's your lovely presence darling, I should drink with you around more often! Still, it won't do to get entirely sloshed so early on, I'll go find us something milder."

Lucifer stood, or tried to. He swayed and fell, landing in a heap of long limbs. He was blinking even more slowly now, and sweat was starting to bead on his forehead. "What…what is happening to me?" he asked confused.

Chloe stood, intending to rush to his side. They would find a hospital she thought, entirely beyond reason, they would make him better. _She would fix this_.

The soft dig of the elevator told her this nightmare was far from over though. Chloe turned to see the figure of father Kinley striding into the room. In his hand he held a gun. Her gun.

"Well done Chloe! You are doing humanity a righteous service, ridding the world of such evil!" crowed father Kinley.

Chloe whirled to face Lucifer "No Lucifer I…"

"Evil?" Lucifer interrupted "You think I'm evil?" he said, his eyes confused.

"Silence creature!" Kinley cried, "A monster like you has no right to speak, no right to live!". He was pointing the gun now, but Lucifer only had eyes for her.

"A monster. You think I'm a monster. Of course you do, who wouldn't?" said Lucifer, and his voice carried the weight of a thousand past betrayals. "I thought you were different. I dared to hope you might…" he closed his eyes, causing two tears to fall down his face. "You're right detective, this is what I deserve. I was foolish to hope. No one can love the Devil, least of all you."

As he turned his gaze calmly towards Kinley the priest shot him in the head, killing him instantly.

Chloe screamed, a raw primal sound she didn't know she was capable of. She rushed to Lucifer's side.

"Nononono Lucifer! No, come back! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't want this, you don't deserve this! Please don't go, please I'm sorry!" she sobbed, rocking his limp body in her arms.

She felt father Kinley's hand rest on her shoulder. "You've done so well child. Our lord God will be proud of you" he said rapturously.

Chloe cried harder, sinking her body next to Lucifer's. This was all her fault. He had trusted her and she had ruined everything and now he was gone and it was all her fault. She was hyperventilating now, the edges of her vision getting darker until eventually the blackness consumed her.

Chloe opened her eyes on the chocolate colored sofa. Damn, it hadn't worked. She sat up.

* * *

Notes:

You can't actually stop a healthy heart with an emergency defibrillator. They operate automatically and will not fire if they detect a normal heartbeat. But. Plot Progression!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"The North-Eastern pits are having constant earthquakes of late my Lord. Aamon reports that it is because of the adjoining halls have become too overloaded and is requesting reinforcements to redistribute the souls"

Lucifer looked impassively at the lesser demon, already quite small and doing its best to further flatten itself against the jet-black marble of the floor.

The humans had almost gotten it right when they said nothing was certain, except death and taxes. The reality was close; the two constants of the universe were death and bureaucracy, and of the two the former was far more appealing.

"My Lord?"

"Hmmm?" offered Lucifer

"The reinforcements? Can Aamon have them?"

"Yes, whatever, go ahead."

"Thank you, my Lord. There are other matters…"

"No, I don't believe there are, you are dismissed"

"But my lord…" the creature gibbered.

"I SAID DISMISSED" roared Lucifer, causing the small demon to skitter away on too many legs.

Lucifer heaved a sigh. He took no pleasure in terrifying his subjects, but Hell was a place of anger and fear, and there was little else all but the most sophisticated demons understood.

He rolled his shoulders to reveal his wings, casting a dour look at them. He had used them very little since he had returned other than to viciously squash the rebellion Dromos had whipped up. Still, that had been enough to cover the Dad-forsaken things in a layer of ash that now rendered them a dirty grey, and also itched like mad.

He launched himself into the air of Hell. There was no pleasure in flying here, no cool air against his face and wings. The air here was stale and could burn or freeze, but never refresh. But it was still a more efficient way of getting from A to B.

He landed at the foothills of a mountain on the outskirts of his kingdom, or the current ones anyway. A constant stream of guilty souls meant that his cursed domain was ever changing and growing. But the density was lower here, the rooms still somewhat separate, and he preferred it to the packed in cacophony of the older districts.

The relative quiet did have one distinct disadvantage though, it allowed him to think.

Thinking was something Lucifer had been avoiding as much as possible since his return. At the start, it had been easy. He had a rebellion to crush, and he threw himself into the task with gusto. The demons would whisper about what he had done to Dromos for eons to come. All collaborators where found and destroyed. It took years, but if there was something Hell had in abundance, it was time.

Afterwards, he had entertained himself by visiting the rooms of some of the souls he had come to know in his time on Earth. Cain's received special attention. The world's first murderer got a room crafted by the Devil himself into a finely tuned torture device, practically a work of art. He was quite proud of it, though he knew Chloe would not approve.

Lucifer felt a stabbing in his heart, a feeling as familiar to him now as breathing. Chloe. Though it had been years in Hell-time since he had last seen her, the memory of her was just as raw and fresh as when he first landed on his hated obsidian throne. He could still feel the silk of her hair between his fingers, her tear dampened cheek on his palm, the heat of her lips on his as he kissed her goodbye.

To finally hear her say the words he most dearly desired, that against any reason or sense she loved the Devil, only to lose her immediately afterwards, had been a pain so exquisite and pure that it put the deepest reaches of Hell to shame. Lucifer didn't need a room in Hell, he carried his own room inside the hole in his chest left where his heart had once resided.

Lucifer shook his head in a vain attempt to clear his thoughts. He noticed two lesser demons approaching along the path. They were engrossed in conversation and had not seen him yet. As they approached their words became audible.

"…a strange case you must admit, to torture yourself with the death of the Devil"

"Don't be dramatic, we've had Devil worshipers before"

"Yes but they all get him wrong! It's all horns and hooves and forked tongues, even goat heads! This one is accurate, down to the last detail. I swear Lamia, I thought our Lord had come to visit this soul for a moment, until I saw him stricken down. And to lament it so!" the demon pitched its voice high in a mocking squeal "No Lucifer! Don't go! I'm sorry please come back!".

Lucifer his heart thundered in his ears, masking the chattering of the two demons. _Surely not?_ he thought. _It's been barely a month on Earth and anyway she would go straight to the Silver City, there's no way she would end up here._

But he had to be sure. The notion of Chloe in Hell was utterly preposterous, no soul belonged here less, but he would be unsettled by this unless he checked it with his own eyes.

He stepped out of the shadow of the path directly in front of the two demons, towering over them. They skidded to a sloppy halt.

"This soul you speak of, where is it?" Lucifer demanded.

The gossiping demon looked utterly petrified. It struggled to speak "My Lord, what an honor to meet you in person. I want nothing more than to offer my complete devotion to your desires, Master" it groveled.

"Yes yes, I consider myself duly fellated, now Where. Is. The. Soul?" Lucifer bit out, impatient.

"In the 90th room of hallway 29, quadrant 1 of the West Terbium district"

That was an extremely new section. Souls there would have died at most a few hours ago on Earth. Lucifer felt his heart quicken. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to hurry.

* * *

Even though it was relatively close, he used his wings to shorten the trip, and moments later he stood in front of the door. It was unremarkable, identical to the doors that stretched out as far as the eye could see on either side of it along the long dimly lit hallway.

It was, like all doors in Hell, unlocked. Lucifer placed his hand on the handle, taking a deep breath. Bracing himself, he pushed.

He found himself in the penthouse. Emotions and memories rushed through him. He wanted to run his hands along the bar, wanted to serve himself a triple shot of his best whiskey, wanted to belt out music on his beloved baby grand. Dad, he missed this place, his chosen home.

Still, no time for that. Clearly this soul was actually remembering him, but who were they? Lucifer noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned.

Chloe sat up on the sofa and looked around and for Lucifer Hell's already slow time stood completely still.

She couldn't see him; Lucifer was only visible to human souls in Hell when he chose to be. He examined her as she walked towards him. At first glance she looked exactly as he remembered her, golden hair framing her fine features in waves. But as she got closer Lucifer saw more. Her aquamarine eyes were red rimmed, and the dark circles under her eyes spoke more than just a few days of missed sleep.

She was right in front of him now, close enough to touch. Lucifer's arms shook with the desire to crush her against him and never let go. But he had to resist. He didn't know what anomaly or mistake had led her here, but he had to understand her Hell loop if he was going to lead her out of it. So he waited and watched.

She turned her head and he followed her gaze, coming face to face with…himself. It was unsettling to see himself in the third person, like a more corporeal dream. He instantly recognized the scene. It was their attempted date, which had ended in broken glass and Chloe seeming to have a panic attack over his variable invulnerability. At the time the episode had been confusing. After having his hopes well and truly crushed by father Kinley and then Chloe herself, the evening had become one of a pile of painful memories that he tried to forget about.

But why was this her hell loop? Yes, it had been a failed date and he now knew much more had been on her mind than he imagined, but to become the centerpiece in a Hell loop?

He watched the loop progress, as the pair sat, and loop-Lucifer served wine and spoke. His doppelganger left to turn on the music. He watched in horror as Chloe, shaking and crying, slipped the small bottle of poison out of her purse and reached for his wine glass. His stomach churned. Was this what she was doing when the glass broke because of the music?

But there wasn't any music. In this too-real nightmare, Chloe successfully delivered her poison. Lucifer watched as his alter ego collapsed, as father Kinley arrived to deliver the killing blow, as Chloe screamed and begged forgiveness.

Lucifer's own mind was in turmoil. To find out how close Chloe had actually come to having him killed was disturbing, to say the least. But Chloe was torturing herself with a scenario that hadn't actually happened. She had turned her shame at what she had almost done into a conviction that she was just as bad as if she had actually done it.

It wasn't fair. If Hell had to accommodate everyone who had _almost_ done the unthinkable it would be a thousand times the size. Chloe had made a mistake, to be sure, but she didn't remotely deserve this pain. Now to convince her.

He allowed his form to become visible in the room and approached Chloe's form, now cradling the inert form of loop-Lucifer in her arms. He banished loop-Kinley with a thought, no need for that interference. He knelt behind her, reaching for her shoulder with one hand. She shrank away from him.

"Detective." Lucifer prompted, gently.

Chloe's whipped around to stare at him, releasing loop-Lucifer. She turned back to look at the dead Lucifer, and then back again to him. Her mouth was open, breaths coming in great heaving gasps, as she tried to understand what was happening through the haze of fear and guilt and grief.

"What..?" she started, not understanding.

"You're in Hell, darling. That thing you were holding is not me, it is a creation of your own mind. Hell makes scenarios suited to each individual to play on their own guilt and fear"

"No but you're dead. I just saw it. I did it. I helped kill you!" Chloe cried, inconsolable.

"No, you didn't. Don't you remember? This scenario never happened. You never poisoned me. You told Kinley no at the end. I've had time to get shot and stabbed by any number of objects in your presence since, remember?" Lucifer offered, trying for a teasing tone.

"But I was going to! I almost did! And then even after I realized that was wrong I couldn't accept you for who you really were. Even though you were always honest with me, even though I had plenty of proof of who you really were, I still couldn't handle the devil side. And I knew it hurt you, but I did it anyway. You deserved so much better than that, Lucifer, so much better than me" Chloe insisted, her face falling with shame.

Enough of this. Lucifer reached for her waist with one hand, pulling her against him so forcefully she nearly pitched forward. He used two fingers from his other hand to tip her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him.

"Chloe, listen to me. You made a mistake. Someone took advantage of you in a vulnerable moment and it clouded your judgement. You still have done better that the vast majority of humans who have ever had the displeasure of seeing my other face. Most do not keep their sanity, let alone learn to accept me, no matter how much time they are given."

"You are so much more than your worst decision darling" he said, his hand shifting to cup her cheek as he pulled her tighter against him. "My wonderful brave detective, Hell is not where you belong. No human is more deserving of the Silver City than you"

Chloe started. "The Silver City? Do you mean Heaven?"

"Of course darling, that is where you belong. I don't know what brought your life to such an unacceptably early end, but you will never know pain in the Silver City, I promise" Lucifer said, smiling sadly. This what was right for Chloe, but it meant that he would be truly barred from her for all eternity, as she went to the one place he could not follow. It would crumble what was left of his heart he knew, but he would do it without hesitation for her. If necessary, he would batter down the gates of Heaven to deliver her personally.

Chloe was shaking her head, now looking more perplexed than upset. "No, that's not right. I'm not supposed to go to heaven. I was supposed to come here. I was supposed to come here to…to get you!" Chloe's face snapped up, her eyes focused and clear, as if something loose had snapped into place.

Lucifer leaned back, surprised by the sudden vehemence in her voice.

"To get me? Whatever for? What do you mean?"

Chloe's eyes narrowed and her nose scrunched adorably as she tried to remember. "It was…it was Charlie! You have to come back because of Charlie!"

"Is there something wrong with the tiny urchin? I can assure you no demons have escaped in the time I have been back" Lucifer said, confused.

"No, it's not demons, it's…it's your brother."

"Amenadiel? I thought he had abandoned the idea of taking Charlie to the Silver City? And in any event he would never harm his son. He may be a hulking bore, but he has far more developed ethics than our father, Chloe."

"No, not Amenadiel, it's Michael"

Lucifer's eyes widened. He felt a twinge in his side. The last time he had seen his twin, he had just run him through with his sword and thrown him off the edge of Heaven at their father's orders. Michael was a fundamentalist even by angelic standards, with a fanatical dedication to their father's rules.

What could Michael possibly want with baby Charlie?

Oh. Of course. The Nephilim. The prohibition on reproducing with humans. Michael would see Charlie's existence as an unacceptable breach of dogma.

Chloe confirmed his musing "Michael wants to kill Charlie. He fought Amenadiel and won. Maze is hiding Charlie for now, but Amenadiel needs your help to protect him, he can't do it alone. You have to go back! That's why I came here."

Lucifer blinked slowly "So you're saying that your demise wasn't accidental or malicious but…planned?"

"Yes, Amenadiel explained Hell to me and I knew I'd probably end up here because…" and with that Chloe was turning to face the dead loop-Lucifer.

"None of that now, love" Lucifer said firmly, turning her to face him more fully "Let's concentrate on the real me please, he's so much more handsome". She offered a small smile in return. Progress!

"Anyway we stopped my heart and then Amenadiel stopped time to give me a better chance. But then I ended up here and I don't know how long it's been" Chloe said, distressed.

"This part of Hell is extremely new, only a few months old, which is much less on Earth" Lucifer said. "If Amenadiel has stopped time, it's quite possible only a few minutes have passed on Earth, though stopping time for that long will be pushing him to the very limits of his power. We need to return you to your body soon, before your soul becomes entirely cut-off."

"So you'll go back?" Chloe said hopefully

"Of course. Even if the opportunity to beat some sense into my insufferable twin wasn't appealing enough, I can't very well leave your return dependent on the resuscitation abilities of others, can I?"

"So, how do we do this?" Chloe asked curiously

Lucifer smiled. Chloe couldn't see it, but loop Lucifer had faded and disappeared, and the edges of the penthouse were starting to become fuzzy and indistinct. Hell was losing its hold on her. She just needed a tiny final push.

He rolled his shoulders to reveal his wings. He once again tipped her head to face him, their faces inches apart.

"Release your guilt Chloe. Let it go"

Chloe leaned towards him, closer still "I…don't know how".

Lucifer tipped his own head forward, so close now their noses brushed. Chloe's tongue darted out to wet her lips and Lucifer followed the movement, transfixed. Closer.

"But…I want to" Chloe breathed as he closed the final distance between them.

They kissed and it was as if the fires of Hell had lit between them. He crushed her to him as he slanted his lips over hers. She gasped and he took advantage of it to deepen the kiss, tipping her head further back, one hand cupping her head and the other at her lower back.

He could feel the room dissolving around them. He focused on Chloe, on keeping her present with him, as he wrapped his wings around them both and wrapped his soul around her own, until it was unclear where one ended and the other began.

It was time to go.

Chloe opened her eyes on the chocolate colored sofa.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Chloe awoke and knew this time was different. There was a weight on her chest that hadn't been there in previous cycles. She looked down and saw it was Lucifer, his hand pressed at her chest, his eyes wild.

As he removed his hand she thought she saw the shadow of a small fluffy feather dissolve into nothing an instant later. Odd.

"Did it work? Are we back?" Chloe asked. She hoped so, if this was just an elaborate Hell-loop, she didn't think her psyche would be able to take it.

"Yes love, we're back" Lucifer said, his voice shaky.

She beamed. They did it! She sat up and launched herself at him.

He received her without hesitation, holding her to him as if she would disappear if he let go. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and carded her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp slightly. She felt a minute shudder run through him.

"Darling, as wonderful as this is, I really must ask that in future you refrain from dying, it's really terrible for my zen"

Chloe chuckled wetly "Fair enough, I'll do by level best to limit the dying from now on".

Lucifer hummed in reply and they stayed like that a few more moments, until a discreet cough reminded her they were not alone. And also her shirt was still open.

Red faced, she turned away to button up her shirt as Lucifer stood to face his brother.

"Brother, I should eviscerate you here and now for participating in this stunt. How dare you allow the detective's life to be placed at risk like that" Lucifer hissed, furious.

Chloe chimed in before Amenadiel could attempt to defuse this bomb "_The detective_ was the one that came up with this idea and she is fully capable of making her own decisions" she said pointedly.

Lucifer didn't look particularly happy, but didn't seem in immediate danger of throwing his older brother into the nearest wall, so Chloe counted it as a win.

"Right, so as I'm here, I may as well get something done. Shall we go find my dearest twin? We have oh so much catching up to do" Lucifer said with a smile that contained too many teeth.

"That won't be necessary, brothers"

As if all pulled by the same string the entire group turned to face the balcony, where an exact copy of Lucifer was lounging casually.

How long had he been there? She had not heard him, but then Lucifer and Amenadiel could both move utterly silently when they chose, maybe it was another angelic super-power. Someday she would ask Lucifer to give her a full list of angelic abilities, provided they survived the next several minutes, of course.

"Why Michael, how good of you to join us" Lucifer said jovially "I hear you've developed a little taste for infanticide. I thought I was supposed to be the evil one, brother" he was moving as he spoke, slowly edging himself in between his twin and the rest of the group.

Chloe felt a small hand grip her elbow. It was Linda, urging her to follow. They slinked behind the bar, staying low to the ground. Amenadiel stood in front of the bar, guarding them despite being in obvious pain.

"Infanticide? Don't be silly brother, I would never kill a human baby, or an angel. That…mutt is neither. It's not a baby, it's an abomination, a mistake that should never have happened. And despite our brother's unaccountable attachment to it, it is a mistake I intend to rectify".

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, his wings rising and spreading. Suddenly every flight feather seemed razor sharp, curving forward, seeking a target. "You will not lay a finger on my nephew Michael, unless you wish to have those fingers detached" Lucifer said, his voice silken and dangerous.

Michael rolled his shoulders revealing his own wings. They were similar to Lucifer's, but whereas the fallen angels' were a pure ethereal white, Michael's were flecked with gold throughout. The effect was as if Lucifer had rolled around in Trixie's glitter. "Keen for another beating, brother? I seem to remember it didn't go so well for you, last time" he mocked.

There was a heartbeat of complete stillness and then all hell broke loose.

Michael launched himself forward, flying headfirst at Lucifer. Lucifer was ready, pivoting to one side, grabbing the other angel and using his momentum to spin, launching him out of the open balcony window.

Lucifer ran and launched himself into the air, flying after him.

For an extremely tense minute, nothing happened. Just when Chloe was wondering whether the pair would return or finish their fight elsewhere something crashed into the rooftop with an almighty _BOOM_, causing the entire building to shake briefly. As Chloe peeked around the bar she saw both angels crash from the rooftop back onto the balcony floor, a tangle of limbs and feathers.

They rolled a few more times, both lashing out with fists and wings. Both were already bleeding from a multitude of cuts.

Finally, they came to a stop with Michael on top, trapping Lucifer's wings under his knees. Lucifer made a pained keening sound as his brother ground down on the wing bones. His hands wrapped around Lucifer's neck.

"Fear not brother, I won't kill you. I am simply going to return you to Hell and break your wings, so you stay where you have always belonged."

Lucifer was still struggling, but his movements were slowing, becoming weaker.

"I'll admit some curiosity as to what has drawn you these humans so much that you have allowed yourself to become weak. They seem such simple and limited creatures. Still, I can appreciate that your pet human is a special case." Michael looked directly at where Chloe was crouching and gave her a predatory smile "Perhaps I will keep that one for myself."

Later, when she tried to remember what happened next, all she could really recall was light. Light that suddenly filled everything, so much light that it seemed to almost have a sound and a taste of its own.

After a few seconds the light diminished just enough to be bearable and Chloe squinted in the direction Lucifer and Michael had been.

Lucifer was slumped but standing, streams of pure light pouring off his hand and wings, his eyes twin white stars. The light wound its way around Michael, who was now suspended mid-air as if held by a celestial constrictor, tightening slowly, squeezing the life out of him.

"Lightbringer" Amenadiel breathed at her side.

Lucifer didn't seem to be all there, his face cocked to one side, observing Michael's struggling with a detached curiosity that looked entirely wrong on his face.

Chloe strode forward. This was wrong, Lucifer would regret this when he came back to himself, she knew.

"Lucifer, stop. You've won, you don't need to do this" she urged.

He didn't seem to hear her, still shining with that otherworldly light and staring fixedly at his hated brother.

Chloe stepped in front of him and pressed her hands to his chest, ignoring the possibility that celestial light might be dangerous. "Lucifer. LUCIFER STOP!" she yelled.

Lucifer looked down at her as if seeing her for the first time. Chloe could have cried with relief as she saw his eyes slowly fade back to their rich chocolate brown.

Chloe smiled at him. "There you are" she said softly, touching a stubbled cheek.

She heard a groan behind her and turned. Michael was alive, but much the worse for wear. He wouldn't be a threat to anyone for some time.

Lucifer stepped up next to her. "Your compassion is, as always, positively saintly darling, but what do you propose we do with this feathered pile of arse now?" he muttered.

Chloe opened her mouth to reply but wasn't given a chance.

"I'll take him" a woman's voice just behind Chloe said.

Chloe was fairly sure that having your heart stopped twice in one day was bad for your health.

She pedalled backwards, staring agog at the young woman with a bowl cut and thick glasses. When had she arrived?

"Azrael! We have veritable family reunion going now, don't we?" Lucifer said.

Family reunion. Another angel then. That explained the silent arrival. Chloe wondered idly if she could get Lucifer to wear a bell.

"Hey Luci, how's it hanging?" said the young woman.

"Oh not much, demon uprisings, reanimating the dead, the odd attempted infanticide and filicide, same old same old, come to join the fun?" said Lucifer evenly.

"I'm actually not here for you this time" Azrael said, moving past him and Chloe to where Michael lay prone on the floor. He was awake, and as Azrael approached he spoke.

"Sister! You have to help me! Our brothers are protecting an abomination, an insult unto our Father! We have to do something about it!"

"I am here to do something about it Michael, don't worry" Azrael said evenly. Chloe tensed, but then saw that she was kneeling by Michael's side, holding his shoulder in a grip that suggested iron strength under that small frame.

"What are you doing sister? It is they who have defied our father!" Michael said, panic rising in his voice.

"Oh? And Father told you this, did he?" Azrael asked blandly.

For the first time Michael lost a little of his righteous zeal "Well no, but I don't need him whispering in my ear to know that it is not his will to have half-blooded mutants brought into this world!"

Azrael didn't outwardly react to this at all, but a sudden whining sound from Michael indicated that her grip on his shoulder had tightened painfully.

"See that the thing, big bro, you're so sure of your own righteousness that you didn't even bother to check if our Father might have some thoughts about you murdering his first grandchild in forever. It turns out he does, and none of them are great for you".

Michael paled, but rallied admirably "So you are here to bring before our Father. I see. Very well, I accept my destiny. I know Father will see reason when I speak to him."

Azrael smirked "Nope! Wrong again bro. You're not going to the Silver City. Dad's thinking you need some time to reconsider the idea of murdering babies. Somewhere where your suuuuper extra dedication to rules will be useful. You're grounded bro, all the way Down. But hey, maybe in a thousand years Dad will reconsider, who knows"

Michael's face went slack with shock, staring forward but unseeing. Message delivered, Azrael unfurled a pair of grey wings. She turned to look Chloe in the eye, and then they both disappeared in a flash of light.

_Wait, did she _wink_ at me?_ Chloe thought.

She heard a thump behind her and turned to see that Lucifer had fallen to his knees, his face the perfect mirror image of Michael's shocked expression.

Chloe rushed to his side, concerned. "Lucifer, are you hurt? What's wrong?"

He was whispering something she couldn't make out. She leaned in to hear him better.

"It's over"

He turned to face her fully. "It's over" he repeated his eyes suddenly full of tears "I…I can stay."

Chloe felt her heart contract and then expand. She leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "Yes Lucifer, you can stay. Welcome back home"

His hand came up to cup her face, his eyes boring into hers. "Home" he whispered.

"I'm home"


	7. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Lucifer whistled as he took the steps to Chloe's apartment two by two.

It had been a few weeks since he had returned from Hell, and he had almost stopped waking up every morning worried his liberation had just been a dream.

On the other hand, if it was a dream, it was one he'd rather not wake up from, thanks very much.

Earlier that day, Chloe had asked him if he wanted to come over for dinner that night. Trixie would be with Dan, she had said, it would be nice to just relax but it was OK if he was busy, she said. She had been bright pink through it all, not meeting his eyes and generally being so adorable that he had to grip the edge of the table to prevent himself from pinning her against the nearest wall and kissing her breathless.

She hadn't called it a date and he hadn't asked. Given past history, he was more than happy to spend time with her without using that label.

At precisely 7:29 pm he knocked on her door.

"Come in!" came the distant reply.

He stepped inside the apartment. The lights were low and there was the odd candle here and there, lending the place a cozy atmosphere. The room did however have a disappointing lack of detective in it.

"Detective?" Lucifer called.

"I'll be down in a minute!" came the muffled response from the direction of the bedroom.

"If you require assistance in dressing, I am always at your service detective" Lucifer responded, and thought he could actually hear her eye-roll from where he was standing.

He entertained himself by peeking at the dinner offering behind the counter. He smiled gently and the sliced Hawaiian bread and eggs, ready for making sandwiches. It was no Chateaubriand, but it sure beat yellow grilled cheese.

A sound behind him signaled the arrival of the detective, so he turned saying "Honestly detective I would have been more than happy to cook for both of us if you had only…" and then his eyes landed on her and all words evaporated.

The dress fit Chloe as if it had been sculpted on her body. The skirt flared in long waves of taffeta. As she walked towards him, a slit in the side revealed the porcelain expanse of her leg. The bodice hugged her waist tightly, with just enough lift to reveal the barest swell of the top of her breasts. Her hair was down, shining like gold against the rich red fabric.

Lucifer swallowed as she came to stand in front of him. "Chloe you look…you look" he tried, words failing him.

Chloe blushed, stammering "Ella had the dress and I found it by accident. I know you wanted me to wear it for our first date, but that never happened and I was just thinking that maybe we could try again? I don't just mean the dress, though the dress is beautiful, I just was thinking that maybe..."

This time he didn't bother restraining himself.

He placed both hands on her hips, spun them together and leaned her against the kitchen counter. Before she could say anything, his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding.

Chloe made a small contented sound and raised her arms, linking them behind his neck.

She wasn't a mere passenger though. She slanted her mouth against his, running her tongue along his bottom lip, nipping at it lightly.

Lucifer moaned, deepening the kiss. She pressed herself against him and he thought he might combust there and then.

Eventually they had to come up for air. They broke apart, but not far, foreheads pressed together, breathing hard.

Lucifer circled her waist with his hands, as much to steady himself as to keep her close.

"Chloe, you look perfect. You _are_ perfect" he said.

Chloe shook her head "No, I'm not. I'm far from perfect" she pressed on before he could interrupt "But that's OK, I've made mistakes, but I'm trying to be better. That's all I can do, it's all anyone can do" she took a deep breath, as if gathering strength.

"I'm not perfect, but I would like to be yours, if you'll have me"

Lucifer stared for an instant before his face split into a smile wide and bright like a sunrise.

"Only if you'll take this old devil in return, my love" he answered.

Chloe smiled softly, taking hold of one his hands and pressing it against her chest over her heart, pressing her other hand over his chest in turn. Their hearts beat, strong and whole and together.

"It's a deal".

...

...

* * *

Notes:

Phew, that's it! First ever fic completed. Hope you enjoyed it!

Contest Entry for Fanfic Contest 2019


End file.
